In modern antenna and communication systems, reflective surfaces have been designed with specific geometries over specific operating frequency bands. In general, microwave structures include a support matrix and reflective means for reflecting microwaves within the operating frequency band. Substantially planar surfaces have been utilized to reflect incident electromagnetic waves within a operating frequency band. Reflective surfaces have also been provided with parabolic surfaces to provide a parabolic reflector.
The use of curved reflective surfaces of any geometry to be emulated electromagnetically using a substantially planar microwave reflector antenna configuration, has been suggested. U.S. Pat. No. 4,905,014 issued to Gonzalez et al., Feb. 27, 1990, the contents of which are fully incorporated herein by reference, teaches a phasing structure emulating desired reflective surfaces regardless of the geometry of the physical surfaces to which the microwave phasing structure is made to conform, wherein the structure may be fabricated as a fraction of the wavelength of the operating frequency of the phasing surface. The aforementioned technology, marketed as Flat Parabolic Surface (FLAPS™) technology accomplishes the aforementioned function using a dipole antenna placed in front of a ground plane. However, due to operational frequencies of the antenna, the precision required for the phasing structures requires very high levels of precision that are hard to obtain.
A low-windload structure has been suggested to provide another version of FLAPS technology. U.S. Pat. No. 6,198,457, issued to Walker et al., Mar. 6, 2001, teaches a low-windload phasing structure including FLAPS technology, the contents of which are fully incorporated herein by reference. However, even utilizing a low-windload version of the structure, it is extremely difficult to obtain the flatness required for high operational frequencies.
The geometry of antenna structures may be based on operation frequency. The wavelength of an antenna, λ, depends on the operational frequency of the antenna, such that:λ=c/f 
Where,
λ=wavelength;
c=speed of light; and
f=frequency.
Thus, at low frequencies, λ is longer and at high frequencies, λ is shorter. For a reflector antenna to provide efficient operation, the surface tolerances requirements are typically on the order of λ/32 to λ/100. Thus, the antenna must be fabricated to a flatness of strict precision. That is, when λ is very small, it is very difficult to obtain the precision needed. For example, at f=94 GHz, λ is approximately 0.125 inches. With λ/100 accuracy, there is a tolerance of 0.00125″. Therefore, an 8′×8′ antenna would require a tolerance of 1/1000th of an inch for flatness. This so-called “super precision” is extremely difficult to achieve.
While conventional antenna structures teach phasing antennas of multiple geometries and different surfaces, such systems struggle to satisfy the super precise flatness requirement demanded by high operational frequencies. Accordingly, there is a need in the art to provide a phasing structure which overcomes the aforementioned drawback.